Taiwan Taipei Mission

Taiwan Taipei Mission

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Temple Tours

My Dear Family and Friends,

It's really early in the morning right now but I am extremely
EXCITED because TODAY we get to go to the TEMPLE! I feel like I haven't
been forever and I am so looking forward to being able to go. This week
was a bit of a challenging one. But, I don't want to dwell on that too
long, so I'll share some tender mercies and miracles we saw!

On Thursday, Sister Wong and I got to go spend the day doing temple
tours in the chapel next to the temple. When we got there, there was a
man sitting inside the chapel. We started talking to him and he is from
China. He came to Taiwan to have a more 'peaceful' Chinese New Year and
to just take a break. Well, he came in contact with the church in
Hualian and wants to be baptized so bad. He had been studying with the
Jehovah Witnesses for a while but he didn't really like their concepts
on family. Well, he met our church and LOVES every aspect of it and
wants to be apart of it. He has talked to one of the Elders in the
mission office about it and they are trying to figure out plans for him
to schedule a time to go to Hong Kong and be baptized there. He was
telling us about how all his family thinks he is crazy for wanting to
join a Christian church and they oppose, but he doesn't care. He knows
this is what he needs to do!!

We also gave a tour to an investigator some other Elders brought in
who is getting baptized in a week. When we were in front of the picture
of Christ being baptized, we asked her why she has the desire to be
baptized. She said, "Because that is what Heavenly Father wants me to do
and I want to follow His council." What a pure, simple, and true
statement.

We also had a neat experience where some other Elders brought in
one of their new investigators. Her husband is about to pass away from
Parkinson's Disease. She is so calm about it though and knows this is
what is best for him. She herself has had some near death experiences.
When we shared Joseph Smith's first Vision with her, the Spirit was so
special. After I recited it, she breathed in really deep and said she
really knows what it means when Joseph was explaining the brightness of
the light. God has been preparing her and now is her time to come and
learn and accept the gospel.

The temple grounds are so so sacred! I am so grateful for the temple we have in Taiwan!

Last Monday we met with our investigator, Zhu DX. We had a great
lesson explaining more about the Book of Mormon and answering his
questions. He is a man who is very afraid of people and it really
stresses him out. It stresses him out meeting with us because he is
really afraid to go to church and be around so many people. We talked
more about his concerns and then after his lesson, we went all together
to our Bishop's house for FHE and Elder Payne made us all hamburgers.
There wasn't a ton of people there, but after we sat for a while outside
talking to him and going through his stress. Heavenly Father has
blessed me with some experiences like what he is going through when I
was younger. It took me this long though to figure out why I would get
so nervous in junior high and part of high school. But, I was able to
connect to him and share what I have done to overcome these fears. We
continue to encourage him and we will see what happens over the next few
weeks.

We had a few neat lessons with some new investigators which we will
see what happens with them this week. Sadly, no one came to church but
we are hoping we will be able to get some investigators to come with us
this next week. We are continuing to find and be more inspired while
finding. We met a really neat lady in a park on Sunday afternoon who has
no understanding of Christ but wants to learn!

Another neat miracle is we were finding on Saturday afternoon and I
went and talked to a man waiting for his bus. We first invited him to
English class and then gave him a restoration tract. His bus came and as
he was going to get on his bus, I asked for his number, as he was
walking and getting on the bus he said his number really fast and I
hoped that I wrote it down correctly. Well, we were at the chapel
Saturday night about to watch a short movie with some RC's and LA's and
guess who walked in?! This man we met. He said on the bus he looked
through our tract. He wants to learn more. We taught him how to pray,
gave him a book of Mormon, and set him up for tonight. He has yet to
confirm his appointment as of right now but we are hoping we can get a
hold of him!

I continue to learn more and more everyday. I am grateful for this
challenge Heavenly Father has given me. I often think why I am
experiencing the things I am everyday but I know it is because only
through these experiences am I going to learn the things that Heavenly
Father wants me to learn. An RC shared this scripture in Sacrament
meeting on Sunday:

"And now, O my son Helaman, behold, thou art in thy youth, and
therefore, I beseech of thee that thou wilt hear my words and learn of
me; for I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be
supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions,
and shall be lifted up at the last day." Alma 36:3

It is really similar to one of my favorite versus in Alma 38:5...Alma is
just talking to one of his other sons. :) I know when we trust in
Heavenly Father's plan and try our very hardest to continue moving
forward and learning from every experience, we will become who Heavenly
Father wants us to come.

Family, It is hard to hear of the passing away of Buddy. I am so
sad to hear that he left this earth before I had the opportunity to meet
this adorable dog. I know we will be able to see him again though! Know
I am praying for you all!!

LOVE YOU ALL!!

Thank you so much for your support and all your prayers. I can feel
them. You all give me so much strength. I love you all so much!

Love,

Sister Haacke

Hamburger making.

I saw Jenson from Tao4 at JinHuaJie on Thursday!!

This little boy is absolutely adorable.

AMY! She leaves on her mission soon!! I miss her so much!!

The man from China who wants to get baptized.

Sister Wong makes us lunch and it is SO good! I am so grateful for her!!!!!!!

This family we ate with has a Noah's Ark just like home! I told them I
felt like home when I saw it and they all laughed and convinced me to
take a picture by it and send it home :)

Also, I remember Dad sending me a picture like this when he ate with
some missionaries when he was in Taiwan! We went to 101 (but not to the
top last week because of the weather).

FHE last night at Bishop's house. It was the Lantern Festival yesterday and so we made TangYuan's.